The ELEMENTS of money

Why is Movie Popcorn so Expensive?

Like everyone else in the world, I saw The Dark Knight this summer. And staying true to my own advice, I used my student discount card to save a few dollars on the ticket. But totally going against my better judgment, I headed straight to the concessions stand. Now let's be clear: I love movie theater snacks. I just wish they didn't cost so much money. Seriously, $4 for a box for gummy worms that I can buy at the grocery store for one dollar? Or even worse, why is popcorn selling for $5?

If you've been to the movies lately, you know what I'm talking about. You pay $10 for a movie ticket and then spend almost twice as much on food and snacks.

After leaving the theater, I was on a mission: to find out why popcorn is so expensive. It just doesn't make any sense that you can go to the grocery store and buy a bag of popcorn for less than a dollar, but at the movie theater you’ll pay $5. Before I could even start my quest, I found out that there were others who had the same question.

Students at Stanford and the University of California, Santa Cruz did a little research. What they found out was quite simple. Movie theaters charge a lot for candy, soda and popcorn to keep the ticket prices down. That way, more people can afford to go see a movie. If they lowered the cost of snacks, then ticket prices would have to rise.

OK, so I guess that makes sense to me. As long as I can avoid the temptation of spending $20 on munchies, I'll be ahead of the curve when it comes to movie theater economics. As soon as I spend money at the concession stand, I'm actually helping to pay for someone else's movie ticket. I can do without that.

So next time you go to the movies, walk past the long line of people waiting to buy a $5 bottle of water and say “thanks” for keeping tickets prices low.

Catie

Taking the Bite Out of Pet Expenses

I was on my never-ending quest for money topics when I stumbled on the subject of pet expenses. I thought that was really interesting because taking care of a pet costs money, but I'm not sure many people create a budget for their pets.

One statistic I recently read was that it costs about $13,000 to take care of a dog for its entire life.  This includes food, vet bills and other stuff like toys, clothes and collars. That's a pretty big financial commitment, especially if you didn't budget for it. So how can you keep pet expenses from getting out of control? Here are a few hints:

Give Clifford a bath yourself. Skip the dog groomer. Even a chihuahua pup can cost $30 or more. Instead, buy professional dog shampoo, fill a tub with warm water and start scrubbing. Not only will you save money, but you'll get to spend some quality time with your pet.

Take your pet to the vet for regular exams. Just like a person, it's always better to detect any health problems  or diseases before they get out of control. By catching something early, your pet has a better chance of fighting it and, of course, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

Consider pet insurance. With vet costs increasing every year, it might make sense to purchase insurance for your pet. For $15 - $20 a month, you can get all the proper vaccinations and exams your pet will need each year ... and they'll be covered if something major goes wrong. But before you sign anything, be sure you understand what is covered.

Buy pet food in bulk. If you find yourself going to the grocery store every week for a new bag of Monkey Chow, you might be spending too much money. By buying larger quantities (preferably in a pet superstore or membership warehouse store like Costco), you'll cut your pet food bill dramatically. (Hint: don't buy pet food from a vet, they totally mark the price up.)

Get an "inexpensive" pet. Dogs are probably the most expensive pet to take care of. Other pets such as cats, rats and snakes costs less, unless of course you own an anaconda that has to be fed a wild pig every few months.

Avoid doggy bling. To really cut down on your pet expenses, scale back on non-essential items like toys,  gourmet treats, and silly clothes that your pet probably hates anyways. You can make some toys yourself (got any old shoes?). Cat tease toys are really easy. Just be careful that the toys you make aren't a danger to your pet.

Put money away for pet emergencies. If you have a pet, it's important that you're ready for anything that might happen. Remember, your pet is counting on you to take care of him or her. That's why it makes sense to put money aside to pay for unexpected expenses.

That's all for  now. If you find that you seriously can't afford to take care of your pet, be responsible. Try to work it out or ask for help. Whatever you do, don't abandon your pet. Call a shelter or rescue center only when all your other options are exhausted.

Catie

Things to do for under $20

Over the weekend I heard someone say that you have to spend money to really have fun. I totally disagree with that. So I started thinking and came up with this list of things you can do this summer for under $20. Here goes:

1. Go to the movies and use your student discount. As long as you don't spend money on a $5 bottle of water, you should be able to spend less than $20.

2. Rent a movie, buy a pizza and invite some friends over. If you or your parents have Netflix, you probably don't even need to pay for the movie. Sweet.

3. Go bowling.

4. Go rollerskating.

5. Sign up for an exercise class at your community center.

6. Volunteer your time. Not only will you keep busy, but you'll have a great feeling knowing that you're helping others. Visit www.volunteermatch.com to find out where you can volunteer.

7. Go to a baseball game. Most major league websites have a section where you can buy tickets for cheap from season ticket holders.

That's all I can think of for now. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Catie